EP1395158A1

EP1395158A1 - Dispenser

Info

Publication number: EP1395158A1
Application number: EP02732933A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bas NPK Industrial Design TJADEN; Jos NPK Industrial Design OBERDORF; Jonathan Kimberly-Clark Limited GREEN
Original assignee: Kimberly Clark Ltd
Current assignee: Kimberly Clark Ltd
Priority date: 2001-06-11
Filing date: 2002-06-11
Publication date: 2004-03-10
Also published as: GB0114162D0; WO2002100232A1

Abstract

A lever-operated dispenser (10) for dispensing a web of material (131) from a roll (130), the dispenser comprising a housing (20), a drive roller (90) acting on the web in use to dispense the web from the housing, means for rotating the drive roller in response to a force on the lever (40), a splicing device (70) which, at or near the depletion of a first roll (130) in use, causes a web (121) from a second roll (120) to be dispensed, and a cutting device (80) for cutting the web in use downstream of the drive roller, wherein the driving means, splicing device and cutting device are independently removable from the housing.

Description

Dispenser

The present invention relates to a dispenser, and more particularly to a lever-operated dispenser for dispensing flexible sheet material provided in roll form.

Lever-operated dispensers typically comprise a housing within which is contained a roll of sheet material, the web of sheet material being dispensed from a dispensing aperture towards the operator. A lever is provided which, when depressed, causes a predetermined length of web to be fed through the dispensing aperture. When an appropriate amount of material has been fed from the aperture, the operator may then grip the material and tear the length off by pulling it against a blade or serrated edge provided in the vicinity of the aperture.

One particular lever-operated dispenser is the Applicant's "CONTROLOMATIC" dispenser. This comprises a pair of rollers, one of which is rotated by operation of the lever, between which the web from the roll is fed in use. The drive roller comprises a plurality of ribbed nylon cylinders spaced along the roller axis. The pressure roller, which is substantially the same width as the drive roller, is sprung against the drive roller. A knife blade is provided down-stream of the rollers to enable a length of web to be separated from the roll as discussed above.

The lever is essentially internal, with only a small portion protruding from the housing which runs vertically in a recess in the front of the housing. It is therefore possible for only one or two fingers to be used to operate the lever.

This dispenser also includes a stub roll splicing facility. A stub roll is a roll which is relatively close to being exhausted but has not yet completely run out. When the main roll is sufficiently used to be regarded as a stub roll, the stub roll is then moved by service personnel to a lower compartment at the back of the dispenser, without being disengaged from the roller feeding mechanism. A new roll is placed in the primary roll position, but the free end of the web from this roll is held in a position away from the feeding rollers, attached to a splicing mechanism. The splicing mechanism essentially comprises linked front and rear members, the rear member contacting the surface of the stub roll and moving with the diameter thereof as the stub roll is used up. The front member moves with the rear member between a first position spaced from the feeding rollers and a second position in contact with the feeding rollers. The new web is attached to the front member of the mechanism, interposed between the front member and the feeding rollers. At a predetermined point, which may be before or after the stub roll is completely exhausted, the splicing mechanism will have moved to such an extent that the forward member will be in its second position, such that the end of the new roll is in contact with the feeding rollers. The new roll will then be drawn through the feeding rollers and dispensed through the dispensing aperture. Of course, it may be the case that for a short while at least, two webs of material are being fed from the dispenser simultaneously.

Thus, in this case, the decreasing diameter of the stub roll acts as a trigger for the splicing action.

Lever-operated dispensers are often relatively complex, with a number of moving parts contained in the splicing mechanism, feeding rollers and gearbox. With a relatively large number of moving and inter-engaging parts, the likelihood of failures will increase. Furthermore, in the event that a particular component does need to be replaced, it has been found that prior art dispensers are relatively complex to dismantle and reassemble, often due to the fact that certain components are not easily accessible, requiring other components to be removed first, or because sub-assemblies may be relatively large and contain a high proportion of the moving parts of the dispenser. In extreme cases, components may be formed integrally with other components, making individual replacement impossible. In summary, it has often been more economical to replace the entire dispenser rather than to try simply to replace the faulty component.

It is therefore an object of at least some aspects of the invention to provide a lever-operated dispenser which is less complex in construction and which facilitates manufacture and repair. It is also an object of at least some aspects of the invention to provide a lever-operated dispenser which is simpler and/or more reliable in operation compared to prior art dispensers, and which is easier to operate.

In accordance with a first aspect, the present invention provides a lever- operated dispenser for dispensing a web of material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing, a drive roller acting on the web in use to dispense the web from the housing, means for rotating the drive roller in response to a force on the lever, a splicing device which, at or near the depletion of a first roll in use, causes a web from a second roll to be dispensed, and a cutting device for cutting the web in use downstream of the drive roller, wherein the driving means, splicing device and cutting device are independently removable from the housing.

The dispenser preferably includes a pressure roller, adjacent the drive roller, the web passing in use between the drive and pressure rollers before being dispensed from the housing. The pressure roller preferably serves to maintain the web in contact with the drive roller in use.

Preferably, the pressure roller is resiliently mounted, e.g. by being inherently resilient or through the use of springs. This has the advantage of firstly enabling a wide range of thicknesses of web material to be accommodated in the dispenser without the need for any adjustment of the roller clearance, and secondly to provide a constant pressure against the drive roller, irrespective of the material properties. A resilient arrangement accommodates variations due to manufacturing tolerances, and also takes up any wear in the components.

The pressure applied to the drive roller (via the web in use) may be adjusted and/or optimised by adjusting the width of the pressure roller. Preferably, the pressure roller is narrower than the drive roller, and may be between 10 and 100mm in width, or more preferably between 10 and 50mm in width.

The pressure roller is preferably removable from the housing together with the cutting device.

The dispenser preferably includes means for supporting the roll in use in the primary roll position, such as a cylindrical support. In preferred embodiments, the support rests in recesses provided in the housing. The support may be fixed or may be free to rotate.

The drive roller is preferably removable from the housing by itself, but in some embodiments the drive roller is removable only once the cutting device (and pressure roller if applicable) has been removed from the housing. The drive roller preferably snap-fits into bearings provided in the housing.

The drive roller is preferably formed by extrusion. Any suitable material may be used for this, provided it can be extruded. Such materials include a wide range of extrudable plastics. Preferably, however, the drive roller is formed from an inner layer of PVC and an outer layer of thermoplastic TPE (Thermo Plastic Elastomer), these materials being co-extruded. The external TPE coating has been found to be relatively hard-wearing and provides an improved grip on the web material.

This is a new departure, and in accordance with a second aspect, the present invention provides a lever-operated dispenser for dispensing a web of material from a roll, the dispenser including a drive roller acting on the web in use to dispense the web from the housing, the drive roller being formed from a co-extrusion of PVC and thermoplastic TPE.

The pressure roller and the roll support may be made from the same material(s) as the drive roller, and may be of the same diameter and/or length. This simplifies production, as a single extrusion can provide the three components, each being cut to length as necessary following extrusion.

In preferred embodiments, the lever is mounted externally of the housing and preferably at the side of the housing. This enables the lever to be configured so that a larger surface or grip portion is available to the user as compared to prior art designs, making operation easier, especially as the user will have wet hands.

In accordance with a third aspect, therefore, the present invention provides a lever-operated dispenser for dispensing a web of material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing and a lever which, when operated in use, causes a predetermined length of sheet material to be dispensed from the dispenser, wherein the lever is mounted on one side of the housing, preferably externally of the housing.

The lever, which is preferably made of plastics material, in at least preferred embodiments comprises a rotatably-mounted grip portion. More preferably, the lever comprises a rotatably-mounted circular or disc-shaped member having a grip portion provided adjacent the circumference. Preferably, the grip portion is located adjacent a corner of the housing, which is preferably the corner formed at the junction of the front panel and the side panel of the housing. The grip portion may comprise any suitable projection, and in preferred embodiments this portion provides at least one gripping surface and preferably two gripping surfaces on either side of the grip portion, which may in use be gripped by the operator's thumb and forefinger for example. One or both gripping surfaces may be provided with ridges or other like features to enhance grip.

The input force on the lever may act directly or indirectly on the drive roller. The means for rotating the drive roller in response to a force on the lever preferably comprises a gearbox, which converts the motion of the lever into rotation of the drive roller. Preferably, the gearbox is self-contained in a module, and can therefore be separated from the drive roller. The gearbox may clip into position in the housing by any suitable means, such as clips or tabs and the like, or by any arrangement which provides a snap-fit. Alternatively, the gearbox may be secured in position by means of screws or the like, to ensure a reliable engagement with the drive roller.

As explained, the input to the gearbox is connected to the lever, and the output is connected to the drive roller, optionally via a drive shaft. The gearbox preferably converts vertical motion of the lever, and preferably downward motion thereof, into rotational motion of the drive roller. Preferably, the drive roller is rotated in only one direction, to feed the web out of the dispenser, and therefore the gearbox is preferably configured to engage with and rotate the drive roller when the lever is depressed, and to disengage from the drive roller when the lever is raised. Preferably, the gearbox and its components are made from plastics, with the possible exception of any springs or screws. The splicing device causes a web from a second roll to be dispensed at or near the depletion of a first roll. In preferred embodiments, the splicing device operates to cause a web from the second roll to be dispensed as a result of a decrease in or removal of the tension in the first web.

This is a further new departure, and in accordance with a fourth aspect therefore, the present invention provides a lever-operated dispenser for dispensing a web of material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing, a drive roller acting on the web in use to dispense the web from the housing, means for rotating the drive roller in response to a force on the lever, a cutting device for cutting the web in use downstream of the drive roller, and a splicing device which operates to cause a web from a second roll to be dispensed as a result of a decrease in or removal of the tension in a first web.

The splicing device preferably comprises a rectangular frame formed from front and rear elongate bars connected at their ends by side sections. The splicing device is preferably movable between a lowered position in which at least a portion of the front bar is in engagement with the drive and/or pressure roller (through the web in use), and a raised position in which the front bar is spaced from the drive and/or pressure roller. Preferably, the splicing device is biased such that it tends to adopt the lowered position. This may be achieved by a simple weight differential e.g. between the front and rear sections or front and rear bars, or by additional means such as a spring.

In normal use, when only a single roll is present in the dispenser in the primary roll position, the web from that roll passes through the rectangular frame and on to the drive roller and pressure roller if present. If the splicing device is biased towards the lowered position as discussed above, at least a portion of the front bar will therefore be in engagement with the drive and/or pressure roller through the web in use, so the web will be urged into contact with the roller, thus assisting the feeding process.

The portion of the front bar which is adapted to engage the drive and/or pressure roller in the lowered position preferably is in the form of a projection which depends from the front bar. The width of the projection may be adjusted to optimise the force of engagement or pressure applied in use, but preferably the projection is narrower than the roller which it contacts in order to provide increased pressure and thus reduce the chance of slippage of the web.

The side sections of the frame are preferably angled in the vertical plane, and are preferably pivotally-mounted in use to the housing. Thus, the splicing member is able to rotate about an axis perpendicular to the path of travel of the web. In a preferred embodiment, each side section is provided with a pivot projection which engages with a corresponding recess in the housing. The tendency of the splicing member to adopt the lowered position may therefore be achieved by appropriate positioning of the pivot points.

The splicing member is movable to the raised position when a sufficient force is applied to overcome the biasing force towards the lowered position. This counteracting force is provided in preferred embodiments by means of the tension in a first web being supplied from a first roll, which is preferably positioned in the housing appropriately such that the tension in the first web exerts a downward force on the rear elongate bar, maintaining the splicing device in the raised position. This first roll is preferably a stub roll, as described in the introduction.

To prepare the splicing device so that a new web can be fed to the drive roller as soon as the stub roll is exhausted, or nearly exhausted, the web from the new roll (i.e. the second web) is fed from the second roll (which is in the normal, primary roll position), through the central aperture of the rectangular frame, underneath and around the front elongate bar and the portion of that bar which engages with the drive roller, to an attachment point on the front elongate bar.

As the first, stub roll reaches the end, the tension in the first web will decrease or reduce to zero, such that at a certain point, there is no longer sufficient force to maintain the splicing device in the raised position. Therefore, the device will drop to the lowered position, towards which is it biased. This action will cause the second, new web to be urged into contact with the drive roller (or the tail end of the first web from the stub roll which is still being fed by the drive roller) and thus, the new web will be fed around the drive roller, and ultimately out of the housing. Thus, automatic splicing of the new web has occurred.

The means for attaching the end of the second, new web to the splicing device may comprise any suitable means. However, the attachment means should not interfere with the splicing function to any appreciable degree, and therefore the securement should not be over-strong, such that the web is prevented from being drawn around the drive roller when required. A suitable gripping device such as a clip or clamp may be provided. A preferred attachment means comprises a pin disposed on the upper surface of the front elongate bar. When the second web begins to be drawn around the drive roller, the web material simply tears as the pin is effectively pulled through it, and this has minimal affect on the splicing action. Until that point, however, the pin is able securely to hold the second web in the pre-splicing position.

The splicing device preferably snap-fits into the housing. This may be achieved by making the side sections of the frame resiliently flexible such that each pivot projection will snap-fit into the corresponding recess in the housing when the frame is in position.

The location for the stub roll referred to above is preferably below and to the rear of the splicing device. This may be considered to be a secondary roll position, as distinct from the primary roll position. A stub roll cavity may be provided integrally in the housing, but preferably a separate stub roll container is provided, which may be independently removable from the housing.

The cutting device is positioned downstream of the drive roller and preferably positioned so that the web is cut when the user pulls on the web at an appropriate angle. The cutting device preferably includes a cutting edge, which is may be a serrated edge. In preferred embodiments, the device is provided by means of a knife blade which is attached to the main body of the cutting device. The main body of the cutting device is preferably made of plastics material, whereas the knife blade is preferably made of metal. The knife blade may be attached to the cutting device body by means of snap-fittings, for example, or any suitable arrangement which facilitates replacement.

The cutting device is preferably retained in the housing by means of a snap- fit, which in preferred embodiments is achieved by providing tabs on the cutting device which engage with corresponding recesses in the housing.

Adjacent the cutting edge or knife blade is preferably provided stripping means adapted and positioned to strip or space the web from the knife blade once the operator has torn off a section of web. This is particularly useful when the cutting edge is serrated or has teeth, and the material being dispensed is relatively fluffy paper, for example. In these and other circumstances, it has been found that the web can become attached to the knife blade, making subsequent further dispensing liable to difficulties such as jamming.

This is a further new departure, and therefore in accordance with a fifth aspect, the present invention provides a dispenser for dispensing a web of material from a roll, the dispenser including a cutting device which has a cutting edge for cutting the web as a result of a force provided on the web, the cutting device including stripping means to space the web from the cutting edge once the web has been cut.

In preferred embodiments, a resilient strip is provided adjacent the cutting edge or knife blade which serves to push the web away from the knife blade once the user has detached a section of web and the force on the remaining web has therefore been removed. The strip may be formed from metal or plastics material. In a preferred embodiment, the strip is substantially planar and makes an angle of less than 90° with the cutting edge.

Preferably, the dispenser is provided with a front cover. The cover may be movable between a closed position and an open, service position, in which access to the interior of the housing is possible. The cover may pivot between the two positions by means of bosses provided on the cover which snap-fit into bearings in the housing (or vice versa).

The cover may be lockable in the closed position. A lock release member may be provided on the housing which serves to disengage the lock and allow the cover to be opened. The lock release member is preferably hidden from view during normal use of the dispenser.

The cover is preferably provided with an inspection window which enables the level of web material remaining to be viewed from the outside without needing to open the cover. As an alternative, a level indicator may be provided which is visible from the exterior of the dispenser when the cover is closed, possibly through a window in the cover. In a preferred embodiment, the level indicator comprises a flexible strip, preferably of plastics material, which contacts the exterior surface of the roll of material and moves with the surface thereof as the material is used. Consequently, the length of indicator visible from the outside of the dispenser will change with the diameter of the roll remaining. Preferably, the material used for the indicator has minimal shape memory and has a relatively low frictional modulus.

Markings may optionally be provided on the front cover on or adjacent the window to advise of the level of web remaining and to advise when the roll needs changing.

As will be clear from the above and from the description of a preferred embodiment below, all the components, with the exception of some small items such as springs and screws, and the knife blade, can be conveniently made from plastics and preferably from ABS plastics. They can be formed by any conventional technique, such as injection moulding. Furthermore, the majority of the components are designed to engage with the housing by interference-, push-, snap- or clip-fit, avoiding the need for fixings.

Thus, in accordance with a sixth aspect, the invention provides a dispenser for dispensing a web of material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing, a drive roller acting on the web in use to dispense the web from the housing, and a cutting device for cutting the web in use downstream of the drive roller, wherein the drive roller and the cutting device are retained in the housing by means solely of snap-fittings or the like.

The dispenser in accordance with the various aspects of invention is clearly suitable for dispensing a wide variety of materials which are supplied in roll form, provided that they can be separated into sheets by the action of the cutting device as described. For example, the dispenser can be used for dispensing paper or paper-based webs, plastics, films or foils (including metal foils).

In the various aspects and preferred embodiments described above, whether taken alone or in combination, the present invention provides a dispenser which is straightforward to manufacture and assemble, which is reliable in use, and which permits straightforward replacement of components in service. The simplified construction as compared with prior art dispensers has clear cost advantages, both for manufacture and maintenance, and also increases the reliability of the dispenser. The construction is essentially modular, with each module attaching to the housing by means of a simple interference-, push- or snap-fit where possible enabling a particular module to be replaced in a simple operation. Maintenance of the dispenser in use is therefore also improved.

The components can be pre-manufactured in relatively small sub- assemblies, away from the final assembly line, which are then brought to the final assembly line for incorporation into the housing. This type of construction facilitates cellular manufacture, makes final assembly easier, and also simplifies the provision of spare parts packages.

Other advantages of the aspects of the invention described above, and their optional and preferred features, will be apparent to the skilled person.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a front perspective view of a dispenser in accordance with the invention, with the front cover closed;

Fig. 2 shows a rear perspective view of the dispenser in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 3 is an exploded diagram of the various components of the dispenser;

Fig. 4 shows the dispenser with front cover removed and the product to be dispensed absent;

Fig. 5 shows the splicing device component of the dispenser;

Fig. 6 shows the housing of the dispenser with some components removed and the gearbox and dispensing lever spaced to one side;

Fig. 7 shows the dispensing lever and gearbox in more detail;

Figs. 8 and 9 show the knife carrier component in detail;

Fig. 10 shows the dispenser in use, with the front cover open;

Figs. 11 and 12 are side sectional views of the dispenser in use, showing the paths of the webs; and

Fig. 13 shows another side sectional view showing the level indicator.

With reference to Figs. 1 to 4, dispenser 10 comprises a housing 20, a front cover 30, a dispensing lever 40 connected to gearbox 50, support 60 for a paper roll, splicing device 70, knife carrier 80, drive roller 90, stub roll container 100 and lock release member 110. Each component will be individually described below.

All the components, with the exception of some small items such as springs and screws, and the knife blade, are made from plastics and preferably from ABS plastics. The majority of the components are designed to engage with the housing 20 by interference-, push- or clip-fit, avoiding the need for additional fasteners such as screws and the like. The only component which is attached to the housing 20 by means of screws is the gearbox 50.

Housing 20 essentially serves as a base to which all the functioning components are attached. It has a recess shown generally as 21 for receiving a paper roll, and two recesses 22 for receiving cylindrical support 60 on which the paper roll rotates in use. Recesses 22 may be configured to permit the support to rotate, such that the support 60 and paper roll rotate together in use, or they may be configured to grip support 60, such that the paper roll rotates about the support in use.

Beneath recess 21 is a further cavity, shown as 23, which receives stub roll container 100. Stub roll container 100 is essentially a tray having a receiving cavity 101 for a stub roll (a paper roll which is relatively close to being exhausted but has not yet completely run out). The operation of the dispenser, and the feeding of a stub roll from container 100, will be described in more detail below.

Splicing device 70 is pivotally mounted above platform 24 of housing 20, as can be seen from Fig. 4. Splicing device 70 is shown in more detail in Fig. 5 and comprises a rectangular frame formed from front and rear elongate bars 71 and 72 connected at their ends by side sections 73. Rear elongate bar 71 is provided with a generally smooth upper surface, for reasons that will become apparent later on, and each side section 73 projects upwards at each side of the rear bar 71 in that region to form a guide 74. Each side section 73 is provided with a pivot projection 75 which engages with a corresponding recess 25 in housing 20. Each side section is also angled in a vertical plane at the pivot point. Thus, when mounted inside the housing 20, splicing device 70 is able to rotate, at least to a limited degree, about axis A (Fig. 5) joining the two pivot points.

Splicing device 70 is also provided with a projection 76 which depends centrally from front elongate bar 71. In use, this projection is configured to urge the paper towel into contact with drive roller 90. Splicing device 70 is also provided with a pin 77 for piercing and retaining the paper towel as will be described below.

Splicing device 70 is designed such that, when mounted in the housing 20 as shown, there is a turning moment about the axis of rotation such that the section of the splicing device in front of the axis tends to lower and the rear section behind the axis tends to rise. Therefore, in the absence of any external forces, projection 76 will be in contact with or engage drive roller 90 (through the paper towel, if present). This can be considered to be the "lowered" position for the splicing device 70 because front bar 71 is lower than rear bar 72. In this position, a torque is present about the axis in the direction of arrow T in Fig. 5. When a force is applied to the rear elongate bar 72 which is sufficient to overcome the torque T, as shown by arrow F in Fig. 5, front elongate bar 71 will rise and rear elongate bar 72 will lower, causing the splicing device 70 to adopt the "raised" position, in which the front bar 71 is higher than rear bar 72. This position is of course unstable in the absence of a force in the direction of F, as the splicing device 70 will tend to return to the lowered position.

As will be clear to those skilled in the art, there are a number of ways in which the splicing device can be configured to be heavier at the front than at the rear. Appropriate positioning of the pivot points 75 may achieve this, or alternatively a weight differential may be built in, for example by making the front section or front bar 71 heavier than the rear section or rear bar 72. This can be achieved by using more material to make the front bar, or incorporating one or more weights into the front bar.

Returning to Fig. 3, and with reference also to Fig.6, gearbox 50 is mounted in housing 20 in cavity 26 and fixed in position by means of screws 51. Drive roller 90 comprises a cylinder 91 and two end caps 92 and 93 which locate by means of a snap-fit in corresponding bearings 27 in housing 20. End cap 93 is provided with a cross-shaped hole in the end thereof, and projects through into the gearbox cavity 26 when in position. With reference to Fig. 6, the in-use position of drive roller 90 can be seen. When the gearbox 50 and dispensing lever 40 are mounted in position, the cross- shaped hole in end cap 93 of drive roller 90 engages with drive shaft 51 of the gearbox, which has a cross-shaped section.

The gearbox 50 itself is shown in more detail in Fig. 7, in exploded form. This view is looking substantially from underneath, however. The gearbox includes a housing 52. Driveshaft 51, mentioned above, is formed integrally with drive gear 53. Dispensing lever 40 is able to rotate relative to housing 52 about axis D. Inside gearbox housing 52, rack 54 is able to rotate about axis R, which is not coaxial with axis D. Rack 54 is urged towards its uppermost position (essentially that shown in Fig. 7) by means of a return spring (not shown). When the gearbox 50 and dispensing lever 40 are assembled, projection 41 on the inside surface of dispensing lever 40 is configured to engage with a projection (not shown) at the corner 55 of rack 54. This projection projects through arcuate aperture 56. In this way, depression of the dispensing lever grip 42 in the direction of arrow E will cause dispensing lever 40 to rotate about its own axis D relative to the gearbox housing and will cause rack 54 to rotate about its own axis R such that the rack moves in the direction of arrow S, against the spring bias.

Rack 54 is in engagement with floating gear 57. This gear is slidable in a recess (not shown) between a first, lowered position in which it is in engagement with drive gear 53 and a second, raised position in which it is disengaged from drive gear 53. The downward action of rack 54 (in the direction of arrow S) combined with the action of gravity will cause floating gear 57 to engage drive gear 53 when the dispensing lever grip 42 is depressed. When the dispensing lever grip 42 is released, however, both the dispensing lever 40 and the rack 54 return to their original, uppermost positions through the action of the return spring. The upward motion of rack 54 causes floating gear 57 to move to its second, raised position which is out of engagement with drive gear 53. Thus, the gearbox mechanism causes the drive roller 90 to rotate when dispensing lever grip 42 is depressed but the drive roller 90 does not move when the dispensing lever grip 42 is released.

With reference to Figs. 3, 4 and 8, knife carrier 80 is provided with tabs 81 at each side which clip into slots 28 in the sides of housing 20. The in-use position is shown in Fig. 4.

With reference to Fig. 8, knife carrier 80 comprises a main body 82, which includes tabs 81. The main body is also provided with upwardly-projecting side walls 83 which have a curved surface 84 which, when in position in the housing 20, form part of the bearing surface for drive roller 90. Knife carrier 80 also includes a pressure roller 85 which in use is urged into contact with drive roller 90. Attached to knife carrier 80 is serrated knife blade 86 which is positioned to cut the paper towel in use when the towel is pulled by the user. In order to prevent the remaining paper towel becoming stuck in or clogging the teeth of knife blade 86, a resilient stripper 87 (shown in dotted lines) may be provided which serves to push the towel away from the teeth once the user has detached a section of towel. Knife carrier 80 and its various components are shown in exploded detail in Fig. 9. Pressure roller 85 includes end caps 88 which run in bearings (not shown) in the main body 82. Part of the bearing surface is provided by sprung brushes 89 (comprising brushes 89a and springs 89b), which enable the pressure roller 85 to be resilient and to provide a pressing force against drive roller 90 in use. Furthermore, by virtue of the pressure roller being sprung, a wide range of thicknesses of paper towel can be accommodated in the dispenser without the need for any adjustment of the roller clearances.

The pressure roller 85 and sprung bushes 89 are retained in position by means of knife blade 86 when the latter is attached to the main body 82.

Returning to Fig. 4 briefly, the in-use position of knife carrier 80 can be seen. Pressure roller 85 is in engagement with drive roller 90 and provides a force against this roller through the action of the sprung brushes 89.

As mentioned in the introduction, rollers 85 & 90 and support 60 are formed by extrusion, and comprise an inner section of PVC with an outer layer of thermoplastic TPE.

Front cover 30 (Figs. 1 , 3 & 10) encloses the internal components of the dispenser and the paper towel roll, leaving a dispensing aperture 29 open at the bottom of the dispenser. The cover 30 attaches to the housing 20 by means of arms 31 which have bosses 32 at their distal ends. These bosses

32 engage in corresponding recesses (not shown) in housing 20 and permit the front cover to be swung down into the service position, as shown in Fig. 10.

The front cover 30 is locked into the closed position by means of lock plate

33 having two apertures 34 which engage with lock projections 35 on housing 20. The lock projections are situated in a lock recess 36 in the housing.

Front cover 30 is provided with a narrow inspection window 37 which enables the level of paper towel remaining to be viewed from the outside without needing to open the dispenser. Optionally, a paper level indicator 38 (Figs. 1 and 13) may be provided in the form of a thin flexible strip attached at one end to the inside of the front cover, towards the lock plate 33. The indicator 38 is formed from a plastics strip, e.g. of ABS, nylon, PE, PET, etc., and has minimal shape memory. The indicator 38 should be visible through the inspection window 37, and is therefore preferably of a contrasting colour. The other end of the indicator 38 is unattached so that, in use, the indicator 38 hangs down from the attachment point and rests over the forward-facing surface of the paper towel roll. Thus, as the roll is used up, the amount of the indicator which can be seen through the window 37 will increase as the free end of the indicator falls relative to the window 37. Markings may optionally be provided on the front cover 30 on or adjacent the inspection window 37 to advise personnel of the level of towel remaining and to advise when the towel roll needs changing.

The final component of the dispenser is lock release member 110. As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 11, this member is essentially elongate and, when mounted in the housing 20, is configured to slide vertically relative to the housing 20. A simple spring 111 is provided at the lower end of the lock release member which engages with a surface 112 (Fig. 11) on the housing, so that the lock release member is urged towards its lower position in the absence of a counteracting force. At the upper end of the lock release member 110 is a release projection 113 which, in use, projects into the lock recess 36.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, when the dispenser is mounted on a wall, the release member will not be visible. The only part which can be accessed is the contact surface 114, which itself will not be immediately visible to anyone using the dispenser. Thus, the release member can be regarded as "hidden", and the occurrences of unauthorised opening of the dispenser should be reduced.

When access to the interior of the dispenser is required, the operator presses upwards on the contact surface 114, moving the lock release member relative to the housing 20, against the force of the spring 111. This causes the release projection 113 to move upwards in the lock recess 36, and to engage with lock plate 33 of the housing, lifting the lock plate upwards and clear of the lock projections 35. Front cover 30 can then be swung down to the service position.

With reference to Figs. 11 and 12, the operation of the dispenser will now be described.

In Fig. 11 , paper towel is being dispensed from main roll 120, which is in the primary roll position on support 60. The towel 121 unwinds from roll 120, passes through splicing device 70 without contacting the rear elongate bar 72, and winds around drive roller 90 to pass between this roller and pressure roller 85. The towel 121 then passes stripper 87 and knife blade 86 of knife carrier 80, before leaving the dispenser through dispensing aperture 29.

In this mode, the splicing device 70 is in its lowered position, to which it tends naturally as explained above, with the front elongate bar 71 being lower than rear elongate bar 72. Downwardly-projecting member 76 rests in contact with the towel 121 and urges it into contact with drive roller 90. This helps to ensure that there is frictional engagement between the towel 121 and drive roller 90, so that towel 121 is pulled through the rollers 90 and 85. When the roll 120 is relatively full, sufficient force must be transmitted to the towel web 121 from drive roller 90 to turn roll 121 on its support 60, and the action of projection 76 assists in this function.

When an operator wishes to dispense a section of towel, the dispensing lever 40 is rotated by depressing the grip 42 and subsequently releasing the grip to allow the lever 40 to return to its raised position. As explained above, this action causes drive roller 90 to rotate only in an anti-clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 11. The action of projection 76 and pressure roller 85 on the towel web 121 will cause the web to be drawn downwards through the rollers, so that a length of towel is dispensed through the dispensing aperture 29. Should a longer length be required, the lever operation can be repeated.

Once sufficient towel has been fed out of dispensing aperture 29, the operator then pulls the web towards them and slightly upwards, which action causes the web to flex the resilient stripper 87 and urge it towards knife blade 86, so that the web contacts the knife blade 86 and is torn at that point by the serrated edge. Once a sheet of towel has been detached from web 121 , the resilient stripper 87 urges the remaining web 121 backwards, causing it to disengage from the knife blade and to rest freely adjacent the stripper 87. Therefore, the end of the web 121 is free to be dispensed from aperture 29 in a subsequent operation.

To allow continuous operation without the dispenser running out of towel, an automatic stub roll splicing facility is provided. When the indicator or a visual inspection shows that the main roll 120 is nearing the end, the service personnel can remove the stub roll from support 60 and place it in stub roll container 100 at the rear of the dispenser. This is the secondary roll position. A new roll 120 can then be placed on support 60.

With reference to Fig. 12, by placing stub roll 130 in the stub roll container 100, without removing the web 131 from between the rollers, the web 131 will automatically take the route shown in the figure. In this position, web 131 passes over the rear elongate bar 72 of splicing device 70. The tension in the web 131 will pull downwards on the rear bar 72, such that splicing device 70 adopts its raised position as shown. As can be seen from the figure, rear elongate bar 72 has a smooth, right-angled cross-section to provide a low-friction transition surface for the web. The web 131 is also guided by guides 74 of side sections 73. Thus, stub roll 130 continues to be the source for the web 131 which is at present being dispensed from the secondary roll position.

A new roll 120 is then installed on support 60 in the primary roll position, and the web 120 from this roll is fed through the central aperture of splicing device 70, underneath and around front bar 71 and projection 76, before being pierced on pin 77 to secure the web in that position.

Whilst there is sufficient tension in the stub roll web 131 to maintain the splicing device in the raised position, the dispenser will dispense the web 131 as normal. Once the stub roll 130 itself runs out, the web will no longer be under tension and will not be able to provide a downward force on rear bar 72. The splicing device will then automatically return to its lowered position. This action causes new web 121 in the region of projection 76 to contact the upper surface of stub roll web 131 adjacent the drive roller 90. Once the end of the stub roll web 131 passes over the drive roller 90, the frictional surface of the roller then acts on the underside of the new web 121 , which is urged into contact with the drive roller due to the weight of the splicing device 70 acting through the projection 76. The web 121 is thereby drawn from the roll 120, into the path between the rollers 85 and 90. By virtue of the fact that the end of web 121 is secured only by a pin to the splicing device, it is easily torn in this action, and therefore the end of the new web 121 will emerge from the dispensing aperture, and web dispensing will continue as described in relation to Fig. 11.

As mentioned above, the dispenser in accordance with the invention is clearly suitable for dispensing a wide variety of materials which are supplied in roll form, provided that they can be separated into sheets by the action of the knife blade as described. Accordingly therefore, the reference above to the use of the dispenser for dispensing paper towel is merely exemplary.

For example, the dispenser can be used for dispensing rolled plastics, films or foils (including metal foils) in addition to a wide range of paper or paper- based products.

Obvious modifications and alternatives to the above will be apparent to the skilled person and are considered to be within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A lever-operated dispenser for dispensing a web of material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing, a drive roller acting on the web in use to dispense the web from the housing, means for rotating the drive roller in response to a force on the lever, a splicing device which, at or near the depletion of a first roll in use, causes a web from a second roll to be dispensed, and a cutting device for cutting the web in use downstream of the drive roller, wherein the driving means, splicing device and cutting device are independently removable from the housing.

2. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a pressure roller, adjacent the drive roller, wherein the web passes in use between the drive and pressure rollers before being dispensed from the housing.

3. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 2 wherein the pressure roller serves to maintain the web in contact with the drive roller in use.

4. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 2 or 3 wherein the pressure roller is resiliently mounted.

5. The lever-operated dispenser of claims 2 to 4 wherein the pressure applied to the drive roller by the web in use may be adjusted or optimised by adjusting the width of the pressure roller.

6. The lever-operated dispenser of any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the pressure roller is narrower than the drive roller.

7. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 6 wherein the pressure roller is between 10 and 100mm in width.

8. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 6 wherein the pressure roller is between 10 and 50mm in width.

9. The lever-operated dispenser of any preceding claim wherein the pressure roller is removable from the housing together with the cutting device.

10. The lever-operated dispenser of any preceding claim wherein the pressure roller includes means for supporting the roll in use in the primary roll position.

11. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 10 wherein the support rests in recesses provided in the housing.

12. The lever-operated dispenser of any preceding claim wherein the drive roller snap-fits into bearings provided in the housing.

13. The lever-operated dispenser of any preceding claim wherein the drive roller is formed by extrusion.

14. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 13 wherein the drive roller is formed from an inner layer of PVC and an outer layer of TPE.

15. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 14 wherein the PVC and the TPE are co-extruded.

16. A lever-operated dispenser for dispensing a web of material from a roll, the dispenser including a drive roller acting on the web in use to dispense the web from the housing, the drive roller being formed from a co- extrusion of PVC and thermoplastic TPE.

17. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 16 wherein the pressure roller and the roll support are made from the same materials as the drive roller.

18. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 16 or 17 wherein the pressure roller and the roll support are of the same diameter as the drive roller.

19. The lever-operated dispenser of any of claims 16 to 18 wherein the pressure roller and the roll support are of the same length as the drive roller.

20. The lever-operated dispenser of any preceding claim wherein the lever is mounted on one side of the housing, and is external of the housing.

21. A lever-operated dispenser for dispensing a web of material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing and a lever which, when operated in use, causes a predetermined length of sheet material to be dispensed from the dispenser, wherein the lever is mounted on one side of the housing.

22. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 21 wherein the lever further comprises a rotatably-mounted grip portion.

23. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 22 wherein the grip portion comprises at least one gripping surface.

24. The lever-operated dispenser of any preceding claim wherein the means for rotating the drive roller in response to a force on the lever comprises a gearbox which converts the motion of the lever into rotation of the drive roller.

25. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 24 wherein the gearbox is self- contained in a module which is separable from the drive roller.

26. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 25 wherein the gearbox clips into position in the housing by any suitable means.

27. The lever-operated dispenser of any one of claims 24 to 26 wherein the gearbox converts vertical motion of the lever into rotational motion of the drive roller.

28. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 27 wherein the vertical motion of the lever is a downward motion.

29. The lever-operated dispenser of any one of claims 24 to 28 wherein the gearbox is configured to engage with and rotate the drive roller when the lever is depressed, and to disengage from the drive roller when the lever is raised.

30. The lever-operated dispenser of any preceding claim wherein the splicing device causes a web from a second roll to be dispensed at or near the depletion of a first roll.

31. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 40 wherein the web from the second roll is dispensed as a result of a decrease in or removal of the tension in the first web.

32. A lever-operated dispenser for dispensing a web of material from a first roll, the dispenser comprising a housing, a drive roller acting on the web in use to dispense the web from the housing, means for rotating the drive roller in response to a force on the lever, a cutting device for cutting the web in use downstream of the drive roller, and a splicing device which operates to cause a web from a second roll to be dispensed as a result of a decrease in or removal of the tension in a first web.

33. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 32 wherein the splicing device comprises a rectangular frame formed from front and rear elongate bars connected at their ends by side sections.

34. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 33 wherein the splicing device is movable between a lowered position in which at least a portion of the front bar is in engagement with the drive roller through the web in use, and a raised position in which the front bar is spaced away from the drive roller.

35. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 34 wherein the splicing device is biased such that it tends to adopt the lowered position.

36. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 34 or 35 wherein the portion of the front bar in engagement with the drive roller is in the form of a projection which depends from the front bar.

37. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 36 wherein the projection is narrower than the drive roller which it contacts.

38. The lever-operated dispenser of any one of claims 33 to 37 wherein the side sections of the frame are angled in the vertical plane, and are pivotally-mounted in use to the housing.

39. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 39 wherein each side section is provided with a pivot projection which engages with a corresponding recess in the housing.

40. The lever-operated dispenser of any one of claims 34 to 39 wherein the splicing member is movable to the raised position when a force is applied to overcome the biasing force towards the lowered position.

41. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 40 wherein the force is provided by means of the tension in the first web being supplied from the first roll, which is positioned in the housing such that the tension in the first web exerts a downward force on the rear elongate bar, maintaining the splicing device in the raised position.

42. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 41 wherein the first roll is a stub roll.

43. The lever-operated dispenser of any one of claims 32 to 42 wherein a stub roll container is provided separately from the housing and which is independently removable from the housing

44. The lever-operated dispenser of any one of claims 33 to 43 further comprising means for attaching the web from the second roll to the splicing device, wherein the attachment means comprises a pin disposed on the upper surface of the front elongate bar.

45. The lever-operated dispenser of any one of claims 32 to 44 wherein the splicing device snap-fits into the housing.

46. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 45 wherein the side sections of the frame are resiliently flexible such that each pivot projection will snap-fit into the corresponding recess in the housing when the frame is in position.

47. The lever-operated dispenser of any one of claims 32 to 46 wherein the cutting device is positioned downstream of the drive roller and positioned so that the web is cut when the web is pulled at an appropriate angle.

48. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 47 wherein the cutting device further comprises a knife blade which is attached to the main body of the cutting device.

49. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 48 wherein the knife blade is attached to the cutting device body by means of snap-fittings.

50. The lever-operated dispenser of any one of claims 32 to 49 wherein the cutting device is retained in the housing by means of a snap-fit.

51. The lever-operated dispenser of claim 50 wherein the snap-fit of the cutting device is provided by tabs on the cutting device which engage with corresponding recesses in the housing.

52. The lever-operated dispenser of any one of claims 32 to 51 further comprising stripping means adjacent the edge of the cutting device, wherein the stripping means is adapted and positioned to strip or space the web from the edge of the cutting device once a section of web is torn off.

53. A dispenser for dispensing a web of material from a roll, the dispenser including a cutting device which has a cutting edge for cutting the web as a result of a force provided on the web, the cutting device including stripping means to space the web from the cutting edge once the web has been cut.

54. The dispenser of claim 53 wherein the stripping means comprises a resilient strip provided adjacent the cutting edge which serves to push the web away from the cutting edge once a section of web is detached.

55. The dispenser of claim 53 or 54 further comprising a front cover.

56. The dispenser of claim 55 wherein the cover is movable between a closed position and an open, service position.

57. The dispenser of claim 56 wherein the cover is pivotable between the closed and the open position by means of bosses provided on the cover which snap-fit into bearings in the housing.

58. The dispenser of any one of claims 55 to 57 wherein the cover is provided with an inspection window. '

59. The dispenser of any one of claims 55 to 58 further comprising a level indicator which is visible from the exterior of the dispenser when the cover is closed.

60. The dispenser of claim 59 wherein the level indicator comprises a flexible strip which contacts the exterior surface of the roll of material and moves with the surface thereof as the material is used.

61. A dispenser for dispensing a web of material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing, a drive roller acting on the web in use to dispense the web from the housing, and a cutting device for cutting the web in use downstream of the drive roller, wherein the drive roller and the cutting device are retained in the housing by means solely of snap-fittings or the like.